Cost A crucial element for guaranteeing a return on technology expenditures is providing enough funding to support necessary professional development. Associated costs (trainers, materials, substitute teachers, etc.) can be high, but the costs of neglecting training may be even higher. Failure to adequately budget for an effective, ongoing professional development initiative will severely limit a school's or district's ability to achieve its technology and instructional goals. Describe the number and technology skill level of projected participants. Thirty-three (33) staff members will participate in the training. An informal survey indicated the participants fall into the following categories: Ten (10) staff are at a basic level (basic knowledge of Windows environment and keyboarding) Fifteen (15) staff are at an intermediate level (also possess Internet search skills) Eight (8) staff are at an advanced level (also possess experience with scanner and digital camera) What resources will this activity require? What resources can you supply? What resources do you lack? Costs for remaining resources (People, time, equipment, facilities, other) $1,500 for teacher stipends for after-school workshops $250 trainer fees for each of the two sessions ($500 total) 15 multimedia workstations 15 multimedia software packages $1,500 from school's allocation of district in-service funds. $500 from school discretionary funds Workstations currently on-site Software currently on-site none none When planning the activity, consider the cost implications of people, time, equipment, and facilities. Are professional development days incorporated in the school calendar or must teachers miss class time? If teachers miss class time, your budget must include funds for substitute teachers. If teachers will attend activities after school, on weekends, or during the summer, how will they be compensated? Teachers may be willing to work outside their contract hours for rewards such hardware or software, which may be accessible when funds for supplemental salaries are not. Also consider where training activities will be held and all necessary equipment. If the activity requires a lab setting and computers must be moved to a central location, who will move the hardware? When will it be moved? Do you have enough hardware and/or copies of software? Think, too, about how to coordinate these efforts without disrupting instruction.